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Sometimes a progress report for a quarter season of development doesn’t really mean much, but sometimes it can be very interesting. With that in mind here is a brief rundown on the Bruins most important prospects.

The good news is that the Kootenay ICE have resurrected their road game record and seemed to have solved the problems that plagued the club earlier on in the season while away from the Cranbrook Rec./Plex.

The problem now is that the club isn’t on the road and won’t be for another two weeks.

After Wednesday’s loss to the Swift Current Broncos and a weekend that featured an ugly win over one of the WHL’s supposed weaker teams in Seattle and a woefully inadequate defensive effort that saw them on the wrong end of a 3-1 decision against the Regina Pats, being on the road is a place the club just might want to be. In a reversal of fortune that’s seen the boys of white, bronze and royal blue drop three of their last four home dates, the news doesn’t get any better as the ICE still have three games left in a season-long, six-game home stand that doesn’t feel much like home.

For Kootenay Coach Ryan McGill, the problem of consistency, or lack of it, from his club has been an issue that’s been a work in progress over most of a season that isn’t so young anymore. Having played twenty-nine games, the ICE are well past the quarter-pole and are creeping up on the halfway mark in the season. It is an issue that, in Coach McGill’s eyes has to be settled sooner rather than later. “Finally, with (the two losses) we lost at home,” said McGill after the loss to Regina last Sunday. “Ever since we got home from the road trip we haven’t played that well and we’ve got away with it.”

Against Regina Sunday night for reasons which could be equally attributed to the stel Read more »

The Vancouver Giants looked a lot like an expansion team on this night, going down 4-1 to the Kelowna Rockets. As usual, the Marach – Lynch – Jackson line played it’s quality two-way game. However, the ENTIRE Rockets team attacked, defended, passed and rough housed much better than the rest of their Vancouver counterparts.

Kelowna really looked superior to their .429 winning percentage and second-last place position in the B.C. Division. Carsen Germyn, Kelowna’s leading point-getter this season, had a strong showing even though his 5 game scoring streak was ended. 6’5” Kiel McLeod had several big hits and scored the Rockets’ third goal, his 8th, with a picture perfect wrister from the slot that beat Vancouver goalie Brett Jaeger top shelf. But the player of the game was Kelowna’s star right winger Chuck Kobasew. Hailing from Ososyoos BC, the 19 year old rookie scored the Rockets’ first and third goals, had a number of other dangerous rushes and scoring opportunities and was the game’s first star. Kobasew, a Calgary Flames draft pick, leads Kelowna in goal scoring with 15, and is second in points with 26. Tyler Mosienko had the Rockets’ other goal and defenseman Jessie Ferguson recorded two assists. Goaltender Jason Stone made 23 stops for the win.

Vancouver was out shot 22-8 in the first period, and 45-24 overall in the game, so Giants netminder Jaeger certainly deserved his game star. Josh Bonar played well, and in the second period he got Vancouver’s only goal, rushing around a defenseman on the left wing, getting off a shot, then knocking Read more »

Hainsey remains unable to play. He suffered a wrist injury on October 24th, and could return to action within the next week. Overall, the 6’3″, 200-lbs defenseman has played 7 games. He has 6 points (3-3-6), and is +3 with 6 minutes in penalties. Despite missing 3 games Hainsey still leads the team with 25 shots on goal.

Mathieu Garon -G (Drafted-96(2/44))

Garon was sent down to Québec on November 16th, 2001. The demotion was strictly for conditioning purposes, and Garon was back in Montréal the next day. Prior to being promoted, the 6’2″, 192-lbs goalie was 4-0-1 with a 2.36 GAA, and an impressive .931 save percentage.

Mike Ribeiro -C (Drafted-98(2/45))

Riberio managed 3 points through 3 games since our last update. His best offensive game came against Manchester. He scored 1 goal and added 1 assist during the 4-2 win. Overall, the shifty center has played 9 AHL games. He has 9 points (3-6-9), and is +5 with 16 minutes in penalties. One of his goals was scored on the powerplay.

Michael Ryder -W (Drafted-98(8/216))

Ryder was shutout through 1 game last week. He was a healthy scratch during 2 of Québec’s 3 games this week. Overall, the 6’1″, 195-lbs winger has played 10 games. He has 4 points (2-2-4), and is +5 with 2 minutes in penalties. He’s also managed 8 shots on goal.

Eric Chouinard -F (Drafted-98(1/16))

Chouinard scored 2 goals through 3 games this week. He was enjoying a 4-game points-scoring streak until being shutout during the 4-2 Read more »

Wheeling 4 @ Reading 5The Nailers won the first game of the season series 3-1 played in Wheeling on November 3. This was the Nailers first ever visit to Reading. The Nailers fell behind 1-0 early in the game on a Reading goal at 3:04. It didnt get easier for the Nailers as the Royals scored three more times in the first period to take a 4-0 lead after one period of play. At 2:09 of the second period the Nailers scored to get back to within three goals at 4-1. Dylan Gyori scored the Nailers goal with Mike Hurley and Dan Kopec assisting. Reading recaptured its four-goal edge with their final goal of the game at 9:42 of the second period.

Before the second period ended the Nailers were able to cut the Royals lead to two goals at 5-3 with an even strength and a power play goal. Mike Hurley scored the Nailers second point at 12:02 with Mark Moore and Bruce Watson assisting. The Nailers power play goal came at 18:58 of the second period scored by Chris Wells with the assists going to Moore and Gyori. Late in the third period the Nailers pulled their goalie for an extra attacker and scored at 19:12 to get to within one goal at 5-4. Gyori scored the goal, his second of the game, from Hurley and Wells. Joel Laing made 30 saves on 35 shots in the Nailers loss.

If there is one thing that stands out about Brendan Bell it is his skating ability. He “has a powerful stride (and is) able to catch up on opposing breaking players” and is lateral movement “very good, probably his forte.” He goes on to say that “Bell’s defensive positioning is key to his defensive success and uses his exceptional side-to-side movement to block out opposition players.”

However, there is more to the Leaf’s 3rd round pick than that. Bell also comes with a burgeoning transition game included. His first pass is almost always a safe one by choice which is a comfort to a good many coaches who more often than not have to try to hammer that point home. While Dole points out that “(he) might need to become increasingly aggressive to create more offense,” he also goes on to say that Bell is “very good as the trailer (and his) puck control allows for few turnovers in the neutral zone.”

The rearguard while possessing a great slapshot and wristshot from the point “might need to shoot more” according to Dole who explains that “a typical Brendan Bell shot is a low wrister through traffic (which is) very effective in terms of tips.” As for his puck control once in the offensive zone this and stopping it from getting out over the blueline are again marked as strengths and part of what the writer terms “great offensive instincts and anticipation.”

Be that as it may, there are things that the blueliner can improve on. While “his ability to read plays quickly allows him to position himself and find loose pucks” helps him out in front of the net, the corner Read more »